What If?
by cesmith
Summary: Set before the journey, Gojyo and Hakkai enjoy a late night conversation. Non Shonenai. Oneshot.


Series: Saiyuki

Author: cesmith

Beta: OtakuPrincess

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: Saiyuki and all of its characters were created by Kazuya Minekura. They belong to her and were used without prior permission. No profit is made through this story.

Summery: Set before the journey, Gojyo and Hakkai enjoy a late night conversation. Non Shonen-ai. One-shot.

A/N: This story is written for challenge # 6 of the ffnetauthors. message board. Planning a vacation and incorporating the word sunshine.

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What If?

"Hakkai." Gojyo whispered into the night-darkened room.

"Hakkai, you awake?" Gojyo whispered louder.

"Hey, Hakkai!" Gojyo said again, even louder.

In the other bed, Hakkai sighed as he rolled over to face his friend before answering. "Yes, Gojyo, I am awake. What is it?" he asked in a patient whisper.

"I can't sleep." Gojyo whined.

"Of course not." Hakkai answered. "You are only half drunk."

"Not fair." Gojyo replied, grinning. "The cards were good and the ladies were bad. I didn't have enough time to drink more. Besides, with what I won tonight, we will be eating well for a week."

"Yes, I guess we will." Hakkai answered. "But I really do need my sleep Gojyo. It's nearly sunrise. Close your eyes and we will talk in the morning."

"OK, Hakkai." Gojyo mumbled.

Hakkai rolled back over and closed his eyes, hoping he could finally get some sleep.

"Hey, Hakkai? Hakkai!" Gojyo's voice pierced the blackness.

Hakkai groaned, knowing Gojyo would continue calling him until he answered. "Yes Gojyo?"

"Are you bored, Hakkai?"

Hakkai thought this over. "I don't think so Gojyo. Since my life has changed so much in the last year, I rather like having it predictable and routine. I like living in our house and seeing the sunshine filter through the trees. I enjoy feeling the cool, soft breezes, and our evenings spent playing cards and talking. Why?" Hakkai asked, as he once more rolled over to face his friend.

"I'm bored." Gojyo said. "I'd like to take a vacation."

Falling into the "What If" game with Gojyo, Hakkai asked, "Where would we go?" Hakkai's sleepiness was now forgotten.

"We could go to a gambling town." Gojyo suggested.

"You would enjoy that more than I would." Hakkai stated.

"Well then, we could go to a gambling town with a great library."

"Better." Hakkai said, smiling.

"It wouldn't really matter to me where we went." Gojyo added. "We could even head anywhere west, just as long as it is away from here."

"I guess the real question is how would we pay for this vacation? Even your luckiest gambling nights wouldn't get us very far."

"Hmmm," Gojyo said, thinking. "We could invite Sanzo."

"Sanzo?" Hakkai asked incredulously. "Why Sanzo? The two of you would kill each other in minutes. Anyway, I don't believe he would want to go on a road trip with the two of us."

"Well," Gojyo laughed, "he does have that Gold card he pays us with when we run errands for him."

"Gojyo, I cannot quite see the Sanbutsushin permitting the Gold card to be used to pay for our alcohol and your cigarettes, let alone lodging and food. Besides, if Sanzo comes, what will happen to Goku?"

"I guess he would have to come too." Gojyo grumbled. "We couldn't leave him in the _tender_ care of those damn judgmental Monks."

"So, now we are up to four of us, correct? How will we travel?"

"What?" Gojyo asked, confused. "In jeep, of course."

"I suppose there _might_ be enough room for you and Goku in the back seat."

"Back seat?" Gojyo yelled. "Why would I be in the back?"

"Because," Hakkai stated matter-of-factly, "Sanzo would never sit in the back, and I will be driving, so that leaves you in the back with Goku."

"I could deal with that, as long as the damn monkey stays on his own side."

"What supplies would we bring with us? We won't have much room under the back seat for storage."

"Well, a skillet and pans for you to cook with and a couple of changes of clothing each."

"Sounds like a great vacation you have planned for me Gojyo. I go from cooking and washing laundry for the two of us, to doing it for four. Actually, you and Goku eat enough for five people. Seems like I'll have a lot of work to do."

"Well, we'll eat out whenever we can."

"Thank you for your consideration." Hakkai said sarcastically. "What else should we bring?"

"We would need some blankets for camping out."

"Great," Hakkai mumbled. "I give up my comfortable bed to sleep on the hard, rocky ground."

"Hakkai, get into the spirit of the adventure." Gojyo teased. "Besides, you can bring some of your books. I'll even leave a few of my magazines behind to make sure you have enough room."

"Thank you for so graciously sharing a little space in **_my _**jeep." Hakkai joked, getting back into the game.

_What else would we need? _Gojyo wondered. "I guess all that would be left would be whatever small personal items we might want to bring."

"Ah. I know something we will really need." Hakkai said.

"What else could there be?" Gojyo wanted to know.

"A first aid kit. I will need it to patch you and Sanzo up after a few days of your traveling together."

"Well," Gojyo grumbled, "as long as Sanzo keeps his mouth shut, there won't be any arguments." With that remark, Hakkai nearly choked on the laughter he was trying so hard to suppress.

"Besides, with your Ki, we won't need bandages. You could just heal us."

"I am just learning how to manipulate my Ki, Gojyo. I don't think I'll ever get good enough to be a healer."

Hakkai yawned. Through the window, he could see the first rays of the sunrise in the sky.

"OK, Gojyo, let me sum up this vacation of ours. The four of us will head west, crammed into jeep, using Sanzo's Gold card for all our needs. I will cook and do laundry for the four of us and you will drink, gamble, and bed women in every town that we stay in. All we would need to make this vacation complete is a quest to stop an evil plot to destroy the world. We could even throw in the occasional battles to break up the monotony of our travels."

"Yeah, sounds perfect." Gojyo said groggily as he rolled over, finally half asleep. "But you're right." he mumbled.

"Right about what?" Hakkai asked, starting to doze off too.

"Sanzo would _never_ go for it."

The End


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